ADA Survey Finds TV and Magazines Are American's Most Popular Sources for Nutrition Information, Dietitians and Doctors Are Most Valuable Resources

ADA Survey Finds TV and Magazines Are American's Most Popular Sources for Nutrition Information, Dietitians and Doctors Are Most Valuable Resources

FOR RELEASE JANUARY 3, 2000

Contact: Tom Ryan, Lori Ferme or Bridget McManamon
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ADA SURVEY FINDS TV AND MAGAZINES ARE AMERICANS' MOST POPULAR SOURCES FOR NUTRITION INFORMATION, DIETITIANS AND DOCTORS ARE MOST VALUABLE SOURCES

CHICAGO — TV and magazines top the list as the public's main course for nutrition news, according to the American Dietetic Association's new national public opinion survey, Nutrition and You: Trends 2000.

The latest edition of the biennial survey finds television was cited by 48 percent of respondents as a leading source of nutrition information. This is down from 57 percent in ADA's last survey in 1997. Forty-seven percent said they get information from magazines, an increase from 44 percent over 1997. (Respondents could give more than one answer.)

The number of people citing family and friends went up significantly, from 2 percent in 1997 to 11 percent this year.

"Nutrition has become a hot topic. Because there is more information available than ever before about how nutrition affects health, it is a popular subject to discuss with family and friends," says Dallas registered dietitian and ADA spokesperson Barbara Gollman.

The other top sources of nutrition news include:

  • Newspapers: 18 percent
  • Reference/general books: 12 percent
  • Doctors: 11 percent
  • Internet: 6 percent
  • Radio: 5 percent

"Technology plays an important role in communicating health information. The Internet and e-mail make it easy to communicate long distance and share information," says Gollman.

When it comes to identifying valuable sources of food and nutrition information, Americans say they look primarily to doctors, registered dietitians and nutritionists.

According to ADA's survey, 92 percent regard doctors as either a valuable or very valuable source; 90 percent said registered dietitians, and 90 percent said nutritionists.

"Registered dietitians are the health professionals most highly trained in food and nutrition," Gollman says. "They must have a bachelor's degree, complete an internship and pass a national written examination. Most medical schools offer only one or two nutrition courses for aspiring physicians."

According to ADA's survey, other leading sources of valuable nutrition information were:

  • Magazines: 87 percent
  • Nurses: 85 percent
  • Newspaper articles: 82 percent
  • Television news: 79 percent
  • Family and friends: 69 percent
  • Radio news: 65 percent
  • Other "non-news" television: 61 percent
  • The Internet: 61 percent

About half of all people like to hear about "new studies on diet and health" — 43 percent, down slightly from 1997 (51 percent) but the same as the 1995 survey (43 percent).

"Despite the controversy and confusion about consumer media coverage of health and diet issues, the public still likes to hear about new research," Gollman says.

In addition, fewer people (22 percent, down from 27 percent in 1997) say they are "confused by all the reports that give dietary advice." About 4 in 10 (37 percent) say "there are some foods I should never eat."

"ADA's philosophy is that all foods can fit into a healthful diet. It's imperative for consumers to understand that it's how much and how often you eat a particular food that is important," says Gollman. "Some people may think it's just easier to eliminate a food than to occasionally include it in your diet. That's unfortunate and unnecessary."

And a very small number — 8 percent — say they feel they "must change their diet in response to the latest research reports."

"It is important for people to realize that nutrition is evolutionary, not revolutionary. It takes years of research, using many different situations, to amass enough information to affect dietary recommendations," Gollman says.

The 70,000-member American Dietetic Association is the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. The Chicago-based ADA serves the public by promoting optimal nutrition, health and well-being. For the most timely, complete food and nutrition information, visit ADA's Web site.

Editor's note: For more information about ADA's Nutrition and You: Trends 2000 survey, for a copy of the full results or to interview an ADA spokesperson, contact ADA's Public Relations Team at 800/877-1600, ext. 4802, 4894 or 4769.

Survey results are based on telephone interviews with a nationally representative sample of 792 adults conducted in October 1999 by Wirthlin Worldwide. The survey has a confidence interval of plus-or-minus 3.5 percent in 95 out of 100 cases.